Tom’s Top 3 for 3/12: Search Turns Up Weapons, Drugs, Cash

Members of the Pittsfield Police Department and Berkshire County Special Response Team executed an early morning search warrant at 76 Lincoln Street on Friday. As a result of this search warrant three suspects were arrested.

The suspects were identified as 30 year old Marcelle King, 27 year old Jayce Jones, and 31 year old Joseph Barnes, all of Pittsfield. All three individuals were arraigned in District Court on Friday.

King was charged with two counts of Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card, Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card, and Receiving Stolen Property of more than $250.

Marcelle King - Photo: Pittsfield Police

Jones was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and a drug violation near a School or Park.

Jayce Jones - Photo: Pittsfield Police

Barnes was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, subsequent offense, a drug violation near a school or park, and possession of heroin.

Joseph Barnes - Photo: Pittsfield Police

Plastic Bag Ban Will Stay With Subcommittee

The proposed plastic bag ban in Pittsfield will remain at the subcommittee level so that councilors can work on the wording of the ordinance and so that they can consider alternative options.

IBerkshires.com reports that after two hours of conversation last week, the Ordinance and Rules subcommittee voted to table the five-year-old proposal. The councilors heard from GXT Green, a company which manufactures biodegradable bags, about providing an alternative bag option for retailers and the Health Department raised concerns about the enforcement policies.

The chief operating officer for GXT Green, Michael Vanin, said the bags do not break down the way plastics do, which provides the same environmental protections as a ban would, while giving retailers a lower cost option than paper bags.

Not everyone was in agreement with the assessment of the bio-degradable bags however. Rinaldo Del Gallo, the Pittsfield attorney who first proposed the ban, said he doesn't believe the bags are as environmentally friendly as presented. He is looking for the passage of the ban as written and said that consideration of the GXT Green technology could always come as an amendment later.

Pittsfield Resident Among Reward Recipients

Suicide prevention advocates are gathering at the Massachusetts Statehouse Monday to present awards and press lawmakers for additional suicide prevention funding in the state budget.

The event, sponsored by the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention includes several legislators presenting awards to activists from Andover, the South Shore, Nantucket, Newburyport, and the Berkshires.

The recipients include Janice McCarthy of Andover who founded the nonprofit Care of Police Suicide Survivors following the suicide of her husband, a former captain in the Massachusetts State Police. Pittsfield resident Marney Schorr, who helped develop a peer support group for young people ages 13-to-24 who suffer from suicidal thoughts and behaviors, is also among those being honored. The event was taking place in the Great Hall at the Statehouse.